24 Years of Ek Rishtaa.

Suneel Darshan was completely bowled over by your professionalism and expertise during the shooting of Ek Rishtaa: The Bond of Love.
The feeling is mutual. I think Suneel is extremely focused and organized. Long before Ek Rishtaa: The Bond of Love went on the floors, he knew exactly what he wanted to do on screen—down to the music and the songs. That, I think, is the forte of this millennial generation. Filmmakers in the past were also organized in their own way, but they carried it all in their heads. Today’s directors put it down on paper, and there’s a whole battery of assistants to take care of the nitty-gritty. That explains why Ek Rishtaa was completed in such an amazingly short time. Suneel is one director who wouldn’t let you off the hook until he’s completely satisfied with your performance.

What was it like working with Raakheedi in Ek Rishtaa after so many years?
Well, you know we’ve done 13 films together. The last ones before Ek Rishtaa were Bemisal and Shakti—both wonderful films. In fact, I had the opportunity to watch Bemisal recently on television. It’s a beautiful film. What a wonderful story! It’s a pity we don’t have more filmmakers like Hrishida today.

You worked together for the first time in Sunil Dutt’s Reshma Aur Shera?
Raakheeji and I almost began our careers together. Reshma Aur Shera was her second film—and mine too. So we go right back to 1969. I still remember how raw I was. Though she was also new, she was already playing a leading lady at the time. I was just a twig in the desert. She was always extremely playful, even then—always full of fun. She used to play pranks and create monsters in the desert sand. I remember we all went to see the Taj Mahal together and had to rough it out in someone’s home in the bitter cold. I’m sure there are pictures of that visit somewhere. After Reshma Aur Shera, we were professionally associated for years.

And most of your films together were major successes?
Yes—Kabhi Kabhie, Kasme Vaade, Trishul, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Kaala Patthar… Gosh, I didn’t realize we had done so many films together for Yashji! I remember we shot for Kabhi Kabhie and Deewar almost simultaneously.

Wasn’t it strange when Raakheedi played your mother in Laawaris and Shakti?
Well, she played my leading lady all over again in Ek Rishtaa. Isn’t that amazing? I think it says a lot about her staying power. Though she has come so far, we still share the same camaraderie. Her playful instinct remains intact. We had so much catching up to do. It’s always fun to relive the past. Over the years, her staff and mine hadn’t changed. So, we became a family beyond the one we played in Ek Rishtaa. We relived a lot of moments. We even bullied our producer-director Suneel Darshan into letting us go home early!